BUSY THIEVES AREN’T SELF-ISOLATING

HUNTSVILLE — Staying home to protect your property may be a good idea as thieves aren’t self-isolating.

Provincial police at Huntsville say their Muskoka Community Street Crime Unit (CSCU) executed a search warrant in Innisfil Thursday, recovering two snowmobiles and a trailer stolen from Deerhurst Resort three weeks ago.

They say that on March 7 two Yamaha Apex 1000 snowmobiles on a trailer were stolen.

A CSCU investigation led to the location of one of the snowmobiles and a search warrant was executed at an address in Innisfil March 26.

An Innisfil man has been charged, and all of the property has been recovered.

Viktor Riha, 50, faces the following charges:

Three (3) counts of Possession Property Obtained by Crime Under $5000

Three (3) counts of Altering/Destroying/Removing a Vehicle Identification Number

Trafficking in Stolen Goods under $5000

The accused has been released from custody on an Undertaking to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Huntsville on June 10th, 2020.

Also yesterday in Orillia OPP arrested a man who rode a bicycle out of the store without paying for it.

On March 26 at 11 a.m. police were called to a business on Murphy Road.

Police were on patrol in the area and located the suspect on the bicycle a short distance from the business.

Joseph Gardiner, 45, of Orillia was charged with Theft Under $5,000, Possession of Property Obtained by Crime and Breach of Officer in Charge Undertaking.

He was released on a Form 10 Undertaking and set to appear next on May 26, 2020 at the Ontario Court of Justice, Orillia.

Also in Orillia, police charged three armed young males who robbed a teen at knifepoint while wearing balaclavas.

They emerged from a vehicle and stole personal items.

The alert victim, who sustained minor injuries, was able to take note of the licence plate of the vehicle as it sped away and police located the suspect vehicle a short time later.

Police say that just before 11 p.m. March 19, the male teen was walking from his residence on West Street North, Orillia when he was confronted by three males.

Three young persons, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA), were arrested and police seized an imitation handgun, three knives, five balaclavas and a quantity of cannabis as a result of the investigation.

The three young persons are charged with the following offences:

  • Robbery with a Weapon, contrary to Section 344(1)(b) of the Criminal Code
  • Possession of a Prohibited or Restricted Weapon at Unauthorized Place, contrary to Section 93(a) of the Criminal Code
  • Disguise with Intent, contrary to Section 351(2) of the Criminal Code
  • Possession of Imitation Weapon for Dangerous Purpose, contrary to Section 88 of the Criminal Code
  • Imitation Firearm – Use While Committing Offence, contrary to Section 85(2)(a) of the Criminal Code
  • Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5000, contrary to Section 354(1)(a) of the Criminal Code
  • Distribute Illicit Cannabis, contrary to Section 9(1)(a)(iv) of the Cannabis Act
  • Possession for the Purpose of Distributing, contrary to Section 9(2) of the Cannabis Act

They were released on Form 10 Undertakings to appear on June 10, 2020 at the Ontario Youth Court of Justice, Orillia.

If you have any information about crime in our community please contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS). You can submit your information online at www.crimestopperssdm.com if you have any information on this crime or any other crime. Crime Stoppers does not subscribe to call display and you will remain anonymous. Being anonymous, you will not testify in court and your information may lead to a cash reward of up to $2,000.

Two Yamaha Apex 1000 snowmobiles, like this, that were stolen from Deerhurst Resort March 7 were recovered by the Huntsville OPP’s Muskoka Street Crime Unit March 26 in Innisfil using a search warrant.